3-year deal with Amukamara keeps Chicago Bears secondary intact

While the Bears spent most of Tuesday working out agreements with threenewplayers expected to jump-start their impotent offense, they did not ignore the other side of the ball and one of their own.

Cornerback Prince Amukamara, who started 12 games last year for a Bears defense that was No. 7 in passing yards and No. 10 in total yards allowed, is expected to sign a three-year, $27-million deal to remain in Chicago, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano.

Amukamara failed to intercept a pass in 2017, his first season with the Bears, but he was second on the team with seven pass breakups and seventh with 48 tackles. The seven-year veteran, who turns 29 in June, has started 69 NFL games, including 48 in his first five NFL seasons with the New York Giants, who drafted him in the first round (19th overall) in 2011 out of Nebraska.

The 6-foot, 202-pound Amukamara has just seven career interceptions but is still considered an above-average cover corner – just one who doesn’t account for many turnovers.

The Bears, who are expected to lose free-agent linebacker Christian Jones to the Detroit Lions, should have their entire starting secondary back in 2018. They placed the transition tag on their other starting cornerback, Kyle Fuller, which guarantees him $12.971 for the coming season, although the Bears hope to work out a long-term deal with him before the July 23 deadline.

Starting safeties Adrian Amos and Eddie Jackson are both under contract, and restricted free-agent nickel corner Bryce Callahan received a $1.907 million tender offer from the Bears, guaranteeing them the right to match any offer from another team.

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